Fiancee of NC man killed by US Marshals sues federal government

The fiancee of a man killed by the U.S. Marshals Service in 2021 is suing the officer who killed him and the federal government.

Frankie Jennings was shot and killed during an attempted arrest at an east Charlotte gas station in March of 2021. Authorities said Jennings tried to reach for a gun in the cupholder of his car when a marshal opened fire, killing him. No charges were filed in the case when the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office said the shooting was justified.

Jennings was wanted on several warrants, including assault with a deadly weapon against law enforcement and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to the narrative presented by the DA's office, Officer Eric Tillman and other officers with the U.S. Marshals Office saw Jennings driving a Mercedes-Benz with his fiancee, Nayja Johnson, on March 23, 2021. The couple had reportedly just finished filling up with gas when officers moved in to arrested Jennings. Tillman and other officers attempted to pull Jennings out of the vehicle when Tillman claimed Jennings stepped on the gas and crashed into a parked police vehicle. He then said Jennings reached for a loaded handgun. #Crime #News